Middlewares

Middlewares components allows you to define reusable processing layers that are executed before an action is performed. Middlewares handle with cross-cutting concerns such as authentication, logging, rate limiting, and request transformation, acting as a pipeline through which every request passes.

Authentication Middleware

Verifies the identity of the requestor using methods like API keys, JWT, or OAuth tokens.

Use Case: Protecting routes that require secure access.

Example Configuration:

plugins.yaml

plugins:
  # ...
  - path: /plugins/jwt.so

middlewares.yaml

middlewares:
  # ...
  MiddlewareName:
    use: plugins.jwt.middlewares.JWTValidationMiddleware
    config:
      signingKey:
        algorithm: RS256
        key: S3cr3tP@ssw0rd

or

middlewares.yaml

middlewares:
  # ...
  MiddlewareName:
    use: plugins.jwt.middlewares.JWTValidationMiddleware
    config:
      jwkUrls:
        - http://auth-server:8080/.well-known/jwks

Rate Limiting Middleware

Controls the number of requests a client can make in a specific time period. Prevents abuse and ensures fair resource distribution.

Use Case: Throttling client requests to APIs.

Example Configuration:

plugins.yaml

plugins:
  # ...
  - path: /plugins/limiter.so

middlewares.yaml

middlewares:
  # ...
  MiddlewareName:
    use: plugins.limiter.middlewares.LimiterMiddleware
    config:
      maxConnections: 5
      expiration: 1m

Logging Middleware

Captures request and response details for monitoring and debugging.

Use Case: Recording transaction logs for auditing or troubleshooting.

Example Configuration:

plugins.yaml

plugins:
  # ...
  - path: /plugins/logger.so

middlewares.yaml

middlewares:
  # ...
  1_MiddlewareName:
    use: plugins.logger.middlewares.LoggerMiddleware
    anyRequest: true

CORS Middleware

Enables Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS), allowing requests from different origins.

Use Case: APIs exposed to frontend applications hosted on other domains.

Example Configuration:

plugins.yaml

plugins:
  # ...
  - path: /plugins/cors.so

middlewares.yaml

middlewares:
  # ...
  2_MiddlewareName:
    use: plugins.cors.middlewares.CORSMiddleware
    anyRequest: true
    config:
      allowOrigins: "*"
      allowMethods: "GET,POST,PUT,DELETE"

Best Practices

• Meaningful Middleware Names: Use clear and descriptive names for middlewares that reflect their purpose.
• Global Middlewares: Use global middlewares for common functionality (e.g., logging, CORS).
• Route-specific Middlewares: Apply route-specific middlewares for security-sensitive or resource-intensive tasks.